The Nightmare Before the Dream

Some memories are best forgotten.

“That was certainly exciting wasn’t it? I realized then that it had been too long since I had interacted with people. Rather than simply watching, I could be helping! What an old fool I had been.

Anyhow, Caladrel was gone but the Fugue Stone was still out there, lurking somewhere within Endenmere and awaiting the eminent Breach. Though the fey no longer held sway over the powerful artifact, his magic still hid the thing from even me. I knew where to start looking though.

Now free to function as it willed, the Fugue Stone’s corrupting influence could be seen and felt within the human city mere minutes after the tether was cut. I sent you to the site where the Stone’s effects appeared first. It turned out to be a terrible place indeed, a gruesome reflection of the Stone’s architect – a mad genius known as Lemenius El’Soriin."

“I remember the surprise on my own face when Yoloswaggins revealed himself! His nasty species was always quite adept at concealment. I suppose it helped that the roden Yolo Swaggins didn’t actually remember he was a dragon. Anyhow, it was shortly after the battle with that amnesiac beast that your little band encountered the monk Luscivius Zane. I suppose we should wake Lucivius at this point too, hm?

Zane? Zane, do you hear me? There you go. You’ll have to forgive me, but I don’t have the time to dwell on your experiences before this crucial moment. As you’ll see, this was somewhat of a turning point for all of you. Stop fussing, Luscivius! You’ll adjust. Now pay attention. Focus!

Up until that moment, you had all been chasing your tails a bit. Every plot, every mystery and every person of importance spun webs atop webs, then webs within all of those webs. It was rather confusing, and even more disheartening. Roderick and Caladrel seemed to be sitting atop of the mountains of evil in the world, but Durog and his orcs were free in the north and even more disconcerting, there was a dragon flying the skies! Looming above all of that though was the ever-present danger of the cataclysm referred to as the Breach. Your hopes led you to believe that the catastrophe could be averted by the destruction of Roderick and his closest friends. Oh, how I wanted so badly to speak to you then – to give you direction! Which is why I did."

Summary:

The group was magically teleported before an old man calling himself Eddigus Finnegan (or was the Fiddigus Ennegan?)

Finnegan explained that he had been watching the characters for some time and felt unusually compelled to assist them and, after a bit of explanation, transported them to the pocket dimension where Caladrel exerted control over the infamous Fugue Stone

Within the nightmarish realm, the group encountered all manner of horrors – flying beasts, rooms that revealed their deepest fears, the trapped spirits of emotions, and finally, Caladrel himself

Caladrel was dispatched in a duel with Ryn and the tendrils of the Fey’s control over the Fugue Stone were severed

As the pocket dimension began to crumble around them, the group caught sight of what appeared to be two beings within the heart of Caladrel’s power

In an effort to save them from dying with Caladrel’s realm, the group was teleported back to the quiet, calm glade occupied by Eddigus Finnegan

"Shh! I'm hunting Inquisitors!"

“You weren’t able to nail Courtland down. He was always a slippery devil! I remember this one instance…oh bother! There I go again! Sorry.

Courtland got away and you were left wondering about your course of action. It’s then that you decided to take the fight to him. Courtland had a nasty habit of using the secretive Inquisition as a means to root out information and traitors. The lot of you thought it might prove useful to remove that resource. How would Courtland react if you were to demonstrate that you had a great deal of power and influence yourselves in Endenmere? Would the collapse of the Inquisition draw him out?

You were aiming to find out…"

Summary:

The group invaded the secret holding of the Inquisitors in Endenmere

The facility was entrapped, but the heroes managed to uncover at least one significant treasure – a book that revealed truths to its reader

When the group entered the chambers of the High Lord Inquisitor, a simple question asked of the book triggered a transformation in the roden known as Yolo Swaggins

With the transformation completed, Yoloswaggins – an adult black dragon, stood before the heroes with menace in his jet black eyes

A prolonged battle with the dragon ensued and Yoloswaggins was forced to retreat by burrowing through the layers of rock surrounding the underground fortress with sprays of hissing acid

The heroes then retreated themselves, but not before Ryn searched the High Lord Inquisitor’s chambers

“Linwood had been lost – body and soul riven by the corrupting powers of the badge. I watched dear Kevon for years though, and although quite arrogant, he was supremely intelligent. I have to imagine that there was more than a simple lust for power at play there. Perhaps an awareness of the danger he posed lead him to sealing that chamber? We’re not here to speculate on poor Linwood’s ideals or motivations though. You all had bigger bats to fry still.

The matter of the obvious corruption in the College of Wizardry had to be addressed at some point. Even more pressing than the fates’ of the poor students was the implication that Caladrel could be close, and with him the Fugue Stone. None of this changed the fact that Courtland was still in possession of his badge, and that Linwood’s expiration would make him all the more difficult to take unawares.

All of that and Durog’s army of orcs, Roderick’s existence, and the pressing timeline of “the Breach” made your collective to-do list quite full, and quite deadly!"

Summary:

The group laid low for about a month and a half, waiting for Edward Courtland to return to his normal routines

During this downtime the group left for the Athenaeum, stowing the badges of Inner Circle office there

The group also returned to North’s End and arranged for Yolo’s gnoll army to patrol the city’s battered perimeter

When the group returned to Endenmere, they discovered that Courtland had relaxed slightly

The group arranged for the Assembly to target three caravans Courtland could have possibly ridden in on his way to various business activities

The group struck a caravan that Courtland did not occupy, but regrouped to aid the summoner Vrutha, who battled Courtland’s escort

When Courtland’s guards were dispatched, the seneschal raised them from the dead, turning them into shadowy creatures that resembled the odion

Courtland fled from the fight despite the group’s best efforts to retreat

“You were set on your task – you’d find Kevon and steal away his badge. Of course, you should have anticipated the worst. Where a powerful practitioner of magic is involved, the unexpected is to be expected…”

Summary:

The party returned to the Assembly and reported Durog’s freedom

Collectively, the Assembly agreed that the first of their targets they should attempt to deal with would be Kevon Linwood.

The party, assisted by Daryn Bettel, entered the grounds of the College of Wizardry where Kevon Linwood had reportedly been held up for years.

The group discovered that the College’s students had been compromised. The students attacked the adventurers on sight, sporting black eyes and addressing Ryn as “Lemenius El’soriin.” Speculation has lead the party to believe the fey Caladrel to be behind the College’s corruption.

The party encountered Kevon Linwood in the topmost chamber of the faculty tower. Upon their entrance, Linwood scolded the group for their breaking of the seals and wards in the room. The wizard promptly transformed into a bat-like creature made of swirling shadow-stuff. Implanted in the chest of both Linwood and the bat-creature was a badge of the Inner Circle.

The group destroyed the shadow bat-like beast and recovered Linwood’s badge. Linwood lived still, despite the terrible injuries the party inflicted upon him. However, it was distance and time away from the badges that Constance had told the group would kill her and her friends.

“This city will be the last to be built on this mountain side, and shall forever be a human city!” – Roderick Gantry

“Axle lead you to the once glorious holding of the Order Cerberus outside of Endenmere – known long ago as the Bloodsteps Refuge. I remember when the place was built during Durog’s reign. Despite the brutal bluntness of orc architecture, it was an impressive and intimidating structure. When you arrived, however, the place had fallen into ruin.

Aside from the human members of the Order’s unwillingness to reside within an orc-built “grotto,” the Order’s numbers had decreased to the point which most would label “pathetic.” With so few numbers, a fortress the size of the Refuge was all but impossible to maintain. Most of Endenmere’s citizens had forgotten that the Refuge even existed, so buried and crumbled was the ruin at that time. Look at me, I’ve gone on another tangent. My apologies.

As I was saying, you approached the holding to find it full of familiar faces…"

The group learned that the Assembly seeks to kill Kevon Linwood and Edward Courtland in an effort to end their connection to the plane where the odion reside. Their theory postulates that the longer the members of the Inner Circle live and bear the badges, the weaker the divide between the planes becomes.

The party also learned that when the Inner Circle members are killed (usually due to being separated from their badges), a temporary tear opens through their corpse and allows odion to spill into the plane of creation.

Constance stated that once the other members of the Inner Circle were dispatched, she herself would have to die. After that, their only hope at preventing a cataclysm would be to kill King Roderick.

After some debate, it was decided that freeing the orc king Durog could prove beneficial to the Assembly’s cause – either Durog would rampage through Endenmere and draw the attention of the Inner Circle, or he would return to his people in the north and persuade them to fight with the Assembly and its allies against Roderick’s tyranny.

Durog was freed from a very unique prison guarded by a massive intelligent construct called Captain Yemaly. Durog spoke with the party for only a short time before he left with the intent to return to his people.

“Then, you went to Endenmere, the eye of the storm, the center of the struggle that few outside of your little group were even aware of. I remember this period of time quite well. Your commitment to the rumor that Durog yet lived and your assumption that he could be swayed to your side was telling. Either you had tremendous faith, or you were extremely gullible! HA! I’m again getting ahead of myself. You just have to humor an old soul like me.

The journey to the city was almost as spectacular as what took place within. Enemies and allies, both old and new, hounded your every step. Waters that you assumed to be clearing were instead bubbling with mud. There were some resolutions on that road though. Do you remember? Who knew rats could swim so well?

Summary:

The group secured travel to Endenmere by way of a river boat captained by a man called Temo.

The heroes awoke one morning to find Temo and his men dead and holes drilled through the boat’s hull.

On a subsequent night, the group was attacked by a band of deadly roden assassins. The assassins were lead by none other than Khaknaard and Durck. After a bloody skirmish, the group was able to capture Durk.

Durck related a tale about Ahzitima stealing an important artifact from her clan (Clan Zahtanni) – a crown jewel from the clan’s First Warlock (now deceased).

The roden that controls the crown jewel could claim control of the scattered and defaced Zahtanni clan.

Durck also revealed that the crown jewels were parceled out many years ago to the most powerful First Warlocks of the clans. The original owner of the jewels was an infamous butcher of dwarves known as Rizzit Kantz.

Durck elaborated by telling the group that the jewels are said to “contain the luck of an entire dwarven clan within them.”

Durck was released and the group continued towards Endenmere.

Outside of Endenmere, the group encountered Master Anbrung of the Sure Flights. Anbrung related to the heroes that their presences had been requested by an “old friend” of Grailoc’s. The friend provided an intricate elven-crafted stone to the group.

The stone produced an image of a hooded and masked figure requesting the group join it at an Order Cerberus holding outside of Endenmere. The heroes were also told to hide any badges of the Inner Circle that they possessed on their persons or risk the wrath of Endenmere.

“The fey spoke true, a storm was brewing and it’s eye was centered upon Roderick. The picture being painted of the Breach, the invasion of the odion, and the sizzling fuse of the Fugue Stone was dismal indeed. To make matters worse, you were the few who knew of the impending doom. The rest of the world, including the raging orcs of the north, acted as if existence itself wasn’t poised on a narrow precipice.

As you licked your wounds and considered the situation, word reached Galfaland that the orcs had marched against the Seven Lakes. Their armies had struck quickly and without warning, consuming several of the most north and west villages. I remember the carnage and chaos. Grit was but a shadow of Durog, but he was still cunning and savage. You weren’t there though, and I am wasting time speaking of matters that would not involve you, at least not yet.

While Grit concentrated on the Seven Lakes, Owkbanok (remember him?) lead a smaller, but no less dangerous force from the east. North’s End was in trouble, and it was about time for you to make your return to the city…"

Summary:

The group returned to North’s End to find the city all but deserted due to the presence of orcs in the northern woods.

Biguhn had set up a barricade against possible attack at the northern portion of the city, but the orcs had yet to do anything aside from burn the city’s farms and outlying cottages.

A monster of immense proportions hurled boulders upon North’s End day and night.

Ahzitima infiltrated the orc camp, gathering information and then starting a fire that caused chaos and confusion.

The group then engaged the giant that called itself Juhmunkhan, felling the beast along with a number of orcs and a creature identified as an ogre by the orcs.

The orcs’ leader and a powerful lieutenant of the Black Wound tribe, Owkbanok, descended upon the battlefield and engaged the group. Owkbanok was killed before the group forced a surrender of the remaining orcs.

The captured orcs revealed that the ultimate purpose of the Black Wound tribe’s leader, Grit, is to march on Endenmere and free Durog – the orcs’ warlord and king. If Durog were freed, the orcs could potentially be swayed to fight on whatever side Durog chose.

“There you were, with an army of gnolls at your command. Though uncivilized, unorganized and generally crude the gnolls have never lacked strength or ferocity. They always had the potential to be something more though…in the right hands. Whether those hands belonged to a certain roden or another remained to be seen.

The trip back to Galfaland was long and harsh. The heat seemed to be unrelenting. Even I took note. When Galfaland was in sight, sitting next to the beautiful blue and refreshing waters of Galfal Lake, respite seemed so near. But then the Rider stopped and refused to move an inch. Do you remember what it said?"

The Rider suddenly halted. With the cooling waters of the Lake so close, its obstinance was especially infuriating. The cavalier stood there, unmoving and silent for a time before turning its helmed head to face Callum. Then, it spoke. Its voice echoed from within its helm, tiny and strangely distant. The voice was instantly recognizable as that of Lord Tlokt. Emotionless and plain, but clear and confident, the voice stated, “Callum, I have found your elf, and it is surprisingly close…”

Summary:

The adventurers were informed that Tlokt had located Caladrel, the infamous fey from their prior encounter with the Nightmare Eternal. Caladrel was found to be spending time beneath the waves of Galfal Lake.

The party returned to Galfaland, sending the gnolls north and west of the city for their parlay with the First Captain. The First Captain imparted great wealth upon the party for a job well done.

With their reward secure, the group made its way to the ruined city-prison of the fey, the infamous Nytve Belanore. The city-prison had been sunk when the fey’s empire collapsed.

The party spoke to Caladrel, with the fey attempting to reason with them to allow him to save humanity. He spoke of an event he named as “The Breach” in which the Odion will enter the Creator’s plane and consume all life on the continents of Sorand and Norand.

Caladrel named the Fugue Stone as a means to remove a large population from the Creator’s plane and the Odion threat – the only side effect being that the surviving few fey would be able to feed on the humans for a negotiated period of time.

The group also learned that Caladrel has already secreted the Fugue Stone to Endenmere, where it awaits The Breach.

After Caladrel took his leave, the party fought the former warden of Nytve Belanore. The group dispatched the beast and returned to the surface where their transport awaited them.

“You had gone to Galfaland with the idea that you might be able to find some allies. With enemies all around, the pirates, thieves and rogues of the city could be useful. The weakness of their ties to the crown didn’t hurt either, eh? However, the allies you sought were not the ones you received – at least not initially. There were wrongs being committed on the plains. The gnolls were being starved out of their hunting grounds, forced to seek food to the east. Those responsible for the depravity could not go unpunished. You hunted for the Muskana Aunum, and through that action, killed two birds with one stone…”

Summary:

Encountered a group of Caddo tribesmen lead by a chieftain’s son (Notaku) and were directed to a site sacred to the gnolls known as “Hoveln”

Battled a group of Black Feet tribesmen guarding Hoveln, recovering a strange piece of night-black bone

Entered the realm of the Bone Dog, battling its ravenous and emaciated minions before encountering the Muskana Aunum itself

Parlayed with the Bone Dog to relinquish command of the remaining gnolls to Yolo Swaggins in exchange for its eternal freedom

Exited Hoveln to discover a growing gathering of gnolls that seem to respect, fear and follow the members of the group, particularly Yolo Swaggins